An account of the wildlife I come across and hopefully pictures to bring the account closer

Friday, 10 April 2009

Friday 10th.April 2009

A typical Bank Holiday morning , dull with the threat of rain in the wind , and just the very odd glimpse of brightness . But , it was forecast as the better part of the day , so we headed down to Beckenham cemetery , to visit my parent's grave , it being my Father's birthday .

Always a good place for birds , a walk around the cemetery produced a good list . Carrion Crow , Magpie , Jay x5 , at least three singing Blackcaps , Green and Great Spotted Woodpecker , Woodpigeon , Stock and Collared Dove , Starling , Wren , Song and Mistle Thrush , Chaffinch , Greenfinch and Goldfinch , Blackbird , Dunnock and of course Rose Ringed Parakeets , all put in an appearance .

Whilst there , we managed to locate the other two famous burials that we could not find last time , when I posted that of Thomas Crapper and the diver who saved Winchester Cathedral . Firstly we found the grave of the man who some would say was England's greatest cricketer , that of W.G.Grace . Around the corner from the cemetery is a pub named after him . The other grave found today was that of Frederick Wolseley , and those of a certain age will remember the cars produced by his Company , and the Police who drove them . I learnt something today , in that he also invented the sheep shearing machine used by Bruce in all those Australian films .

Backing onto the cemetery is South Norwood Country Park , formerly Elmers End Sewage Works . As a kid , I remember this place filled with Lapwings and Tomato plants , the latter as the seeds of the plants , cannot be broken down by the human gut , thus germinated on the settlement beds , and everywhere else - too much information ? These days , like most places surrounded by houses , has become a dog's toilet . Stepping carefully , we made a circuit of the Park , and added another three singing Blackcaps , several singing Chiffchaffs , most definitely one , if not two singing Willow Warblers , a poor shot of one of them , a single Swallow , Reed Bunting and Jackdaw . On the way round , we found Blackthorn coming into leaf now that the flowers are nearly finishing . Tucked way amongst the long grass along one of the drainage ditches , Lesser Periwinkle-Vinca minor , is already in flower .

The Oak has burst bud and it's young succulent leaves are emerging , to provide food for a whole host of insects , which will then be predated upon by birds and others , to feed their new families when then come along . Will the old saying come true , 'Oak before Ash , in for a splash' ?Following the small stream , the Chaffinch Brook , back towards the lake , we added Blue , Great and Long Tailed Tits , along with several more singing Wrens , they seemed to be everywhere . The hoped for Kingfisher and an early Whitethroat at it's favoured scrub area did not materialise . Flowering along the track was Jack by the Hedge or Garlic Mustard-Alliaria petiolata , a member of the Cabbage family , and used along with Ladies Smock as a food plant by the Orange Tip butterfly . At the lake , we added Canada Geese , Tufted Duck , Mallard , Coot and Moorhen , and just before leaving Sparrowhawk circling above in a threatening sky . Just inside the gate , on our way out was Summer Snowflake-Leucojum aestivum , a member of the Daffodil family . Once again , as the park is surrounded by houses , it is difficult to know if this is a true wild plant , or a cultivated specimen that has been dumped there .

I made the bird species count 33 , not up to the dizzy heights of Pittswood , but an enjoyable walk with plenty of birdsong .

And finally , after Ken's witty comment last night about the lower squirrel being stoned , I think he should be on the stage , and not necessarily sweeping it .

By the way , the forecast was right for this afternoon . Whilst writing this , there has been constant drizzle .

7 comments:

Hi Greenie. Thanks for the mention in your blog. What a nice selection of photo's you have taken today.You are right about cemetery's being good for birds.As for the Worseley car's, well I don't know if I should admit to it, but I do remember them.......Just, and I bet every time he tried to sell his sheep sheering machine he kept getting fleeced. Boom Boom.

Hi Greenie, Just picked myself up off the floor after all those puns!Our local cemetery was the first place I ever saw LTTs. You certainly saw plenty there including the interesting graves. I asked husband who was was England's greatest cricketer and he said probably W.G. Grace although for him it's Botham.I have posted a similar photo to yours of a Willow Warbler/Chiffchaff and have come to the conclusion mine is probably a Willow Warbler. Loved all your photos as usual.